Simplicity and Effective Lighting

I appreciate simplicity. I especially appreciate the effectiveness of properly executed practices using simplicity. Practical. Photographing for my local magazine, The Georgetown View, is a perfect opportunity to exercise simplicity in most environmental portraitures. I use only two flash speedlights for effective lighting on my subject. While I do have a Sekonic light meter, I rarely use it since I have become used to using reflective metering from my camera and "chimping" the image. Spot metering is preferred.

Both of my flashes output the same power, one
is fired through a white umbrella for soft light on
my subjects, while the other is set without any
modifier for a harder rim light fired from behind my subjects. The speedlights are on lightweight
stands most of the time. While I used to bounce
on ceilings, I find that color and details get lost
more than I'd like in a portrait.


In the next image, the flash in the rear is placed
high above her head (7 ft)  and the flash is aimed inside
the reflective silver umbrella which produces a soft glow on her hair.


Rudy Ximenez Photography
Serving Georgetown and Austin, Texas

512-589-3956